5 Answers
5

The only exception are bottle teats made of rubber - the rubber can become porous over time, so occasional sterilization is recommended. However, most bottle teats are made of silicone, which is not affected.

The primary safety measure to take with milk bottles is to not let them sit for too long, because harmful germs do develop if the milk is not fresh. However, if the milk is fresh, sterilizing the bottle does not make a difference.

Caveat:

This assumes the bottles are thoroughly cleaned just like regular dishes, and that they are cleaned with safe drinking water, such as tap water in most developed nations. If there is no access to safe drinking water for cleaning this answer does not apply.

The main hygiene risk is the growth of harmful bacteria, like
escherichia coli and salmonellae. This is largely determined by the time
the milk is left to stand. Therefore milk leftovers should be disposed of,
and not reheated. This is the most important hygiene precaution. Boiling
or sterilizing the bottles and teats does not provide an additional
advantage. This is the consensus among all professional organizations
(DGE, DGKJ, FKE).

Rubber teats, unlike silicone teats, can become porous. Therefore the
experts recommend to boil them from time to time.

Hi sleske - welcome to the site. Thanks for such a thorough answer!
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JoeApr 24 at 21:41

1

While I completely accept the evidence you've provided, as an interesting aside, I had heard before that the standard advice in Germany is that there's no need to sterilise. Here in the UK the advice is that all equipment must be sterilised. nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/… Go figure! I would point out that the Germans seem to be surviving their lax attitudes very well! ☺
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ctokellyApr 25 at 7:50

@ctokelly: Yes, interesting difference. According to Wikipedia's Baby bottle article, the NHS recommends sterilization, while WebMD.com says it is not necessary.
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sleskeApr 25 at 10:52

No, it's not required. Lots of children are born into dirty surroundings and still survive.

Yes, it's advised for newborns and infants because they have not yet built up enough immune resistance. Baby bottles, teething toys, and other objects that the newborn/infant puts in the mouth can be sterilized to reduce any unnecessary burden on the child.

Once the kids start sucking on all kinds of non-sterilized toys, non-toys, stroller wheels!, etc. you can stop sterilizing.

While you are still sterilizing, be sure to read and follow the instructions carefully. It's very easy to contaminate a newly-sterilized set of bottles with a thoughtless hand movement.

PS: When we were expecting, we were lured into the fear trap and bought a brand-new Philips sterilizer. We could probably have found the same used for much less, or even a kit that can be used in the microwave like you mention. Fear can help people open their eyes and do a little basic research (good), or it can sucker them into spending more than they have to (silly).

Well @Dan you already saw the link that ctokelly provided. My answer (four years ago...) is based on personal experience and the advice we have received from infant health care workers.
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Torben Gundtofte-BruunJun 16 at 18:36

Babies take a while to build up resistance to infection, so sterilising bottles, at least for the first few months, is definitely recommended. Milk is a very good food not only for babies, but for bacteria so you want to get bottles clean, and then sterilised!

On a daily basis, sterilization is not necessary, particularly if these things are washed with soap and hot water shortly after use.

However, when someone in the home gets sick, the bottles, nipples, pacifiers and mouthy-toys should be sterilized. Also any items left unwashed for a while (like the pacifier tied to the stroller) could use sterilization from time to time.

It was easy for me to sterilize because we had an electric dishwasher, which gets hot enough for long enough to kill bacteria. We put the nipples and small items in a special basket, and it worked like a charm.

I use bottle to feed my baby. My doctor advised me to sterilize the bottles on daily basis.Because it is not possible to create a totally germ-free environment so sterilizing baby bottles is very important otherwise bacteria, viruses and parasites can gather and make baby ill. Continue it for one year so that the baby will start producing their own antibodies and be resistant to harmful germs and bacteria. If it is possible continue it until your baby stops using them.

Yes I agree. If your pediatrician advised you to sterilize daily, do it. Water differs in cleanliness place to place. Living in a 3rd world country like me this is necessary as we are not assured of the cleanliness of our water. Nipples are resistant to high heat, considering it is sterilized in 10mins in an electric sterilizer it will be used in a the long run.
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Dinha Dionzon-OngJun 17 at 9:33